Lisbon Students See Presidential Inauguration In Person

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Nearly 700,000 people crowded the National Mall for President Obama's second inauguration.

Among them were 37 Lisbon Central School students and their 9 chaperones.

The students told us what this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity means to them.

"We saw history being made in the process rather than just looking at it in a history book and seeing pictures. We were actually there first-hand," said Jesse Gleason.

It was a highly anticipated trip.

Despite the money it took to make it all happen, along with the long, cold wait and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, Megan Barney says it was all worth it.

"All of it as a whole was most definitely worth it. It was such a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us to be able to come down here and see everything and learn so much," she said.

What was most eye-opening for the students?

The intense security.

"The security has been crazy, more than I've ever seen. Right now, as I'm talking to you, I can see there's a whole bunch of police sitting on horses. There's police everywhere around," said Leann Dawley.

The students bought inauguration memorabilia, including t-shirts and pins, but they say nothing compares to the experience itself and the memories they'll have of this historic day in our nation's history.